excess mucus

Hi - for the past 2 years I've had a problem with mucus at the back of my throat and nose. It comes in waves - and when its really bad its so sticky i struggle to swallow properly (i can eat and drink) but just generally swollowing i can feel an obstruction. It takes a couple of hours to then dislodge itself and i cough up a piece of phlegm the size of a 10pence piece usually dark yellow/brown and the centre is always hard and its really smells awful. Now i've been to see 2 specialists as well as my GP - they thought it was a post nasal drip but none of the medication worked, I've been for an endoscopy but nothing wrong with my tummy or coming up from there in fact the doctor could see the mucus going down. So where the heck is it coming from, its getting stuck somewhere and building up until i cough it out... could it be my lungs? I'm seeing a chest specialist in September. can anyone shed any light on this... please :)

i do have the same symptoms too.. and ive posted alot of times here, but it seems, no one bothered to reply... and then i read your post and i felt somewhat relieved for not being alone... (sorry)

i too have been to EENTs and been on endoscopy on my nose, i even experienced allergy from antibiotics which had an effect on my respiration and it really freaked me... i thought it was like the end coz i wasnt able to breathe...

my postnasal drip i guess, since doctors here wasnt able to cure it, has been bugging me since december... it doesnt stop dripping, even when im about to sleep, i always keep tissue with me... and if others see me always spitting on a tissue, guess its gross... but anyway, i dont actually care much on what they wud say... id rather want to know what to do about this... the color of the mucus varies from clear to yellowish... i dont have other symptoms except sometimes i experience clogging of nose and also the mucus has blood but not always though... and my turbinate on my left has been swollen since december too...

by the way, i am female and 20 years old...
and i hope we i cud get some helpful tips from u... i badly need it... and also i havent been to doctors since then coz i ran out of hope for cure with the doctors...

i do have the same symptoms too.. and ive posted alot of times here, but it seems, no one bothered to reply... and then i read your post and i felt somewhat relieved for not being alone... (sorry)

i too have been to EENTs and been on endoscopy on my nose, i even experienced allergy from antibiotics which had an effect on my respiration and it really freaked me... i thought it was like the end coz i wasnt able to breathe...

my postnasal drip i guess, since doctors here wasnt able to cure it, has been bugging me since december... it doesnt stop dripping, even when im about to sleep, i always keep tissue with me... and if others see me always spitting on a tissue, guess its gross... but anyway, i dont actually care much on what they wud say... id rather want to know what to do about this... the color of the mucus varies from clear to yellowish... i dont have other symptoms except sometimes i experience clogging of nose and also the mucus has blood but not always though... and my turbinate on my left has been swollen since december too...

by the way, i am female and 20 years old...
and i hope we i cud get some helpful tips from u... i badly need it... and also i havent been to doctors since then coz i ran out of hope for cure with the doctors...

I had your similar problem for years they told me i had everything from acid reflux,allergies-years and years of nose sprays which im sure were no good for my nose,chest xray,etc.. and my problem was a staph infection on my adenoids, so i got adenoids removed and i dont have that hacking sticky phlem thing anymore but i still have a staph infection and now it is making my turbinates swell. If you had a lot of things checked but not that I would go to the Ent and when they put the camera long thing up your nose they can see if that phlem stuff is on your adenoids,then have them culture it for staph. i hope this helps.

I had your similar problem for years they told me i had everything from acid reflux,allergies-years and years of nose sprays which im sure were no good for my nose,chest xray,etc.. and my problem was a staph infection on my adenoids, so i got adenoids removed and i dont have that hacking sticky phlem thing anymore but i still have a staph infection and now it is making my turbinates swell. If you had a lot of things checked but not that I would go to the Ent and when they put the camera long thing up your nose they can see if that phlem stuff is on your adenoids,then have them culture it for staph. i hope this helps.

k12 anyupdates
i have been having the same kind of thing ,every few days i feel something stuck in my throat ,after few hrs i manage to get it up ,its normally the size of a 5p and as been as big as a ten pence ,
its green, brown very sticky and sometimes u can see red in it,it feels hard in the middle like hard skin or tissue ,
its been tested many times as its been going on nearly two years ,and at last the doctors have made a date to see the ent.

k12 anyupdates
i have been having the same kind of thing ,every few days i feel something stuck in my throat ,after few hrs i manage to get it up ,its normally the size of a 5p and as been as big as a ten pence ,
its green, brown very sticky and sometimes u can see red in it,it feels hard in the middle like hard skin or tissue ,
its been tested many times as its been going on nearly two years ,and at last the doctors have made a date to see the ent.

I am so relieved to know I am not the only person with this weird problem. It is just as you all have described. I can feel something stuck in the back of my throat. Sometimes I can cough hard enough to get it up and other times it takes hours to finally get it up. It is thick and sticky,dark green sometimes mixed with neon green with dark brown center that is hard. I am a nurse so I had it cultured while I was at work one day and it was staph. Still didn't answer anything for me though. I don't know where it comes from. It is so annoying and grosses everyone out when I am constantly hacking and spitting in a tissue. My doctor has had me on Septra for a while and it still hasn't went away. If it is my adenoids is removing them the only cure?

I am so relieved to know I am not the only person with this weird problem. It is just as you all have described. I can feel something stuck in the back of my throat. Sometimes I can cough hard enough to get it up and other times it takes hours to finally get it up. It is thick and sticky,dark green sometimes mixed with neon green with dark brown center that is hard. I am a nurse so I had it cultured while I was at work one day and it was staph. Still didn't answer anything for me though. I don't know where it comes from. It is so annoying and grosses everyone out when I am constantly hacking and spitting in a tissue. My doctor has had me on Septra for a while and it still hasn't went away. If it is my adenoids is removing them the only cure?

My staph infection was supposedly on my adenoids and thats why they removed mine,but a year later i got another culture and i still have staph in my nose. Well like i said in the earlier post i dont hack up that phlemmy thing anymore which is one relief but i still have staph and my turbinates swell so what i think has happened to me is i went too many years for the doctors to figure out my problem and somehow it has affected my turbinates OR after i had my adnoids out i also had another bad infection i believe happened during surgery but of course no doctor is going to admit to that. well good luck you have any other questions i will try to help the best i can.

My staph infection was supposedly on my adenoids and thats why they removed mine,but a year later i got another culture and i still have staph in my nose. Well like i said in the earlier post i dont hack up that phlemmy thing anymore which is one relief but i still have staph and my turbinates swell so what i think has happened to me is i went too many years for the doctors to figure out my problem and somehow it has affected my turbinates OR after i had my adnoids out i also had another bad infection i believe happened during surgery but of course no doctor is going to admit to that. well good luck you have any other questions i will try to help the best i can.

I have the same symptom's I wake up and because my mucus is so sticky and deep in my lungs I have to trigger my gag reflex to get it out but when you do that, all nutrition goes down the drain to. My body wieght is that of when I was A teenager and dropping every day. Unfortunatly I am and still am a smoker and a drinker to moderation.
All of my family history has the word cancer in it and I have spent the last 20 years in emergency services so I have seen and been in some stuff!!!!!!
I Know I am pretty much done but If I can help someone else wellll HERE I AM!
Kelly Nuyens
***@****

I have the same symptom's I wake up and because my mucus is so sticky and deep in my lungs I have to trigger my gag reflex to get it out but when you do that, all nutrition goes down the drain to. My body wieght is that of when I was A teenager and dropping every day. Unfortunatly I am and still am a smoker and a drinker to moderation.
All of my family history has the word cancer in it and I have spent the last 20 years in emergency services so I have seen and been in some stuff!!!!!!
I Know I am pretty much done but If I can help someone else wellll HERE I AM!
Kelly Nuyens
***@****

I have read all these post regarding the mucous that gets stuck. I have the same problem for about 2-3 years. Doctors keep telling me its allergies, and have me on tons of medications and none of them are taking care of the problem. I dont belive it is allergies. This problem is taking over my life and I need to find some answers. I wanted to know if any of you have found out what it is, or has anything helped. I read the post about it possible being a staph infection, but I wanted to hear from anyone who might have an update with this problem. I cant take it anymore. My neck is always tight, along with my back, and I think I caused damage to my ear from all the spitting. Its all day long. And as soon as I get this thing to come up within hours another one is there. If anyone can help me please.

I have read all these post regarding the mucous that gets stuck. I have the same problem for about 2-3 years. Doctors keep telling me its allergies, and have me on tons of medications and none of them are taking care of the problem. I dont belive it is allergies. This problem is taking over my life and I need to find some answers. I wanted to know if any of you have found out what it is, or has anything helped. I read the post about it possible being a staph infection, but I wanted to hear from anyone who might have an update with this problem. I cant take it anymore. My neck is always tight, along with my back, and I think I caused damage to my ear from all the spitting. Its all day long. And as soon as I get this thing to come up within hours another one is there. If anyone can help me please.

My son had post nasal drip and a sore throat from it. Not a fun thing to have. What we did was bought some Echinecea & GoldenSeal you take 15 drops in a bit of water 2 - 3 times a day and it clears up the post nasal drip. At least it did for my son. There are also Echinecea teas available. Only thing is if you are nursing you cannot take this.. which is my frustration right now, have had issues for 6 months now. Anyway, do a little research on this stuff.. it works.

My son had post nasal drip and a sore throat from it. Not a fun thing to have. What we did was bought some Echinecea & GoldenSeal you take 15 drops in a bit of water 2 - 3 times a day and it clears up the post nasal drip. At least it did for my son. There are also Echinecea teas available. Only thing is if you are nursing you cannot take this.. which is my frustration right now, have had issues for 6 months now. Anyway, do a little research on this stuff.. it works.

I've been coughing up the same hard, yellow, reddish mucus for months and months. It became a lot more frequent lately and it seemed as if I had a sinus infection. I went to an ENT and he took a culture of "puss" coming from the top of my nasal cavity. The doctor called an told me that it was Staph and it should be curred with antibiotics. After reading several things on Staph, I believe I will go buy the topical ointment as well. Hopefully it will clear it up.

I've been coughing up the same hard, yellow, reddish mucus for months and months. It became a lot more frequent lately and it seemed as if I had a sinus infection. I went to an ENT and he took a culture of "puss" coming from the top of my nasal cavity. The doctor called an told me that it was Staph and it should be curred with antibiotics. After reading several things on Staph, I believe I will go buy the topical ointment as well. Hopefully it will clear it up.

I've had this for some time, it came to light after my ears got blocked and kept having reacurring problems and swollen glands, I went for a sinus scan and got the all clear but they found out I had a deviated septum, referred me to the ENT, the consultant has said I need to have my septum straightened, my adenoids removed and are also taking a biopsy from one of my glands. I'm a panicking now and all sorts of thing are going through my head like is it throat cancer or something, but after reading your comments it all sounds very familiar.

I've had this for some time, it came to light after my ears got blocked and kept having reacurring problems and swollen glands, I went for a sinus scan and got the all clear but they found out I had a deviated septum, referred me to the ENT, the consultant has said I need to have my septum straightened, my adenoids removed and are also taking a biopsy from one of my glands. I'm a panicking now and all sorts of thing are going through my head like is it throat cancer or something, but after reading your comments it all sounds very familiar.

Wow, it is such a relief to find so many other people with this same medical anomaly.

Question to just_a_mom first off: I'm going to try that Echinecea & GoldenSeal treatment. Was that drinking the mixture or rinsing with it?

I have been coughing, and by coughing I mean pulling up from my throat without a literal cough sound, these same hardened and discolored mucus bits since I was a kid. I have gotten really sick by accidentally swallowing these things in the past, so I am relentless about clearing and spitting them out. Not always the most graceful thing. The mucus "plugs," as my father calls them, come loose on their own timeline. If anyone know the medical term for these things, please share. Also, I notice very rarely that food particles get trapped in my nasal cavity, possibly in the same place that the plugs are building up. Perhaps on top of my soft palate?

Staph is not the cause for me, I'm rather certain. I have had the extensive allergy test and am allergic to nothing. I've taken acid reflux meds to no avail. I eventually found an combination of an oral surgeon and an ENT who helped me some.

The oral surgeon sent a sample to the lab and the results came back saying the mucus plug contains bacteria in a tonsil stone, but that it looks nothing like a tonsil stone. The ENT started me on a saline nasal rinse, Neil Med, similar to a netti pot but easier to use and comes with packets of specially formulated salt. link: www.neilmed.com/usa/sinusrinse.php This nasal rinse helps loosen the mucus plugs and keeps me from having to cough one up at random moments in the day. I use only purified water, by boiling it and letting it cool. This is not a fix, but it has really helped me. Since I was still generating these plugs, my ENT removed my adenoids surgically thinking that the mucus was building on them. I still get the mucus plugs, but the surgery might have made them easier to loosen, marginally.

I'm now using acupuncture to treat my problem since I've seen over half a dozen doctors who are all without answers. My acupuncturist says that I have wet heat and do not metabolize water completely. I've been getting treatments for about 9 months, irregularly. During first treatment, I felt a vibration in my nasal sinus that ran all the way into my nose. It was odd, but sort of neat and made my blow my nose after, so something was happening. I still get the mucus plugs, maybe less frequently, but I am also noticing that I get a liquid drip from my nose. It's like water. I'm recommended to take Milk Thistle supplements.

My non-medical conclusion thus far: I feel like my body is over producing mucus for some reason and that perhaps my nasal cavity dries out a little and it builds up. The build-up is always in the same place because each plug has the same little notch in it. Since the nasal rinse loosens them, I am certain that they build up in my nasal cavity, at least in part, perhaps extending into the pharynx. I could be allergic to something so small and so basic that it cannot be detected by a scratch test, like breathing or some microbe. Perhaps my nasal cavity is hypersensitive to its function and gets irritated by use.

Wow, it is such a relief to find so many other people with this same medical anomaly.

Question to just_a_mom first off: I'm going to try that Echinecea & GoldenSeal treatment. Was that drinking the mixture or rinsing with it?

I have been coughing, and by coughing I mean pulling up from my throat without a literal cough sound, these same hardened and discolored mucus bits since I was a kid. I have gotten really sick by accidentally swallowing these things in the past, so I am relentless about clearing and spitting them out. Not always the most graceful thing. The mucus "plugs," as my father calls them, come loose on their own timeline. If anyone know the medical term for these things, please share. Also, I notice very rarely that food particles get trapped in my nasal cavity, possibly in the same place that the plugs are building up. Perhaps on top of my soft palate?

Staph is not the cause for me, I'm rather certain. I have had the extensive allergy test and am allergic to nothing. I've taken acid reflux meds to no avail. I eventually found an combination of an oral surgeon and an ENT who helped me some.

The oral surgeon sent a sample to the lab and the results came back saying the mucus plug contains bacteria in a tonsil stone, but that it looks nothing like a tonsil stone. The ENT started me on a saline nasal rinse, Neil Med, similar to a netti pot but easier to use and comes with packets of specially formulated salt. link: www.neilmed.com/usa/sinusrinse.php This nasal rinse helps loosen the mucus plugs and keeps me from having to cough one up at random moments in the day. I use only purified water, by boiling it and letting it cool. This is not a fix, but it has really helped me. Since I was still generating these plugs, my ENT removed my adenoids surgically thinking that the mucus was building on them. I still get the mucus plugs, but the surgery might have made them easier to loosen, marginally.

I'm now using acupuncture to treat my problem since I've seen over half a dozen doctors who are all without answers. My acupuncturist says that I have wet heat and do not metabolize water completely. I've been getting treatments for about 9 months, irregularly. During first treatment, I felt a vibration in my nasal sinus that ran all the way into my nose. It was odd, but sort of neat and made my blow my nose after, so something was happening. I still get the mucus plugs, maybe less frequently, but I am also noticing that I get a liquid drip from my nose. It's like water. I'm recommended to take Milk Thistle supplements.

My non-medical conclusion thus far: I feel like my body is over producing mucus for some reason and that perhaps my nasal cavity dries out a little and it builds up. The build-up is always in the same place because each plug has the same little notch in it. Since the nasal rinse loosens them, I am certain that they build up in my nasal cavity, at least in part, perhaps extending into the pharynx. I could be allergic to something so small and so basic that it cannot be detected by a scratch test, like breathing or some microbe. Perhaps my nasal cavity is hypersensitive to its function and gets irritated by use.

Hi vra123:
I had the same exact thing for 4 years. Topical treatments and rinsing didn't stop the discharge. The only way I finally got rid of mine was to taken oral antibiotics (because the bacteria were also in my bloodstream). My whole system was being poisoned! So...if you're not averse to it, have your doctor get a culture to determine which oral antibiotic to take, and get rid of the infection. Then keep up the rinsing because it will help prevent re-infection.

Hi vra123:
I had the same exact thing for 4 years. Topical treatments and rinsing didn't stop the discharge. The only way I finally got rid of mine was to taken oral antibiotics (because the bacteria were also in my bloodstream). My whole system was being poisoned! So...if you're not averse to it, have your doctor get a culture to determine which oral antibiotic to take, and get rid of the infection. Then keep up the rinsing because it will help prevent re-infection.

Hi, I have been reading all the posts, I have had this problem for a year now, on and off, but really bad at the moment, my mucus is so thick, that chokes me and I'm scared to sleep, but exhausted from it. Had allergy test, negative, had different antibiotics for fungus and bacterias, and still the same. I'm in a terrible state as this thing if taking over my life, I just can't bear it.
I just hope that you found a cure, and if so, please help me, my email is ***@**** thanks

Hi, I have been reading all the posts, I have had this problem for a year now, on and off, but really bad at the moment, my mucus is so thick, that chokes me and I'm scared to sleep, but exhausted from it. Had allergy test, negative, had different antibiotics for fungus and bacterias, and still the same. I'm in a terrible state as this thing if taking over my life, I just can't bear it.
I just hope that you found a cure, and if so, please help me, my email is ***@**** thanks

Hi, could you please tell me if u know the name of the bacteria? I have been to the gp so many times, even cried with frustration last time, and he, instead of realising how bad my situation was, instead he prescribed me antidepressants! So I feel hopeless, and I need help to get rid of my mucus! Thanks. My email is ***@****

Hi, could you please tell me if u know the name of the bacteria? I have been to the gp so many times, even cried with frustration last time, and he, instead of realising how bad my situation was, instead he prescribed me antidepressants! So I feel hopeless, and I need help to get rid of my mucus! Thanks. My email is ***@****

Found a way to clear out the sticky phlegm ball in the back of my throat quickly. Instead of trying to clear my throat, I give a few big coughs over the sink when I first wake up. It can be a little uncomfortable as each cough gets stronger, but after some practice I now get the entire ball out in a couple of coughs, and then don't have to think about it again until the next morning. I keep expecting the cough to hurt my throat, but it actually feels better than trying to clear my throat. This won't resolve the underlying issue, but it at least improves my daily quality of life.

Make sure to do this first thing in the morning right when you get out of bed. If I don't do it first thing in the morning, it doesn't work.

Found a way to clear out the sticky phlegm ball in the back of my throat quickly. Instead of trying to clear my throat, I give a few big coughs over the sink when I first wake up. It can be a little uncomfortable as each cough gets stronger, but after some practice I now get the entire ball out in a couple of coughs, and then don't have to think about it again until the next morning. I keep expecting the cough to hurt my throat, but it actually feels better than trying to clear my throat. This won't resolve the underlying issue, but it at least improves my daily quality of life.

Make sure to do this first thing in the morning right when you get out of bed. If I don't do it first thing in the morning, it doesn't work.

Hello, I have a similar problem. There is no congestion in my lungs. My nose is not running, so no postnasal drip. However in the morning (only the morning, something within 10 min., sometimes a couple of hours) I have a 'mucus plug' (about the siae of a US nickle) stuck in the back of my throat. I have to trigger a gag reflex to loosen it out. It feels more like its coming down, because if I don't catch it just right in the back of my throat to spit it out, I end up swallowing it. I don't know what exactly is causing (sorry). There are only 2 things that have given me some relief. At night I sleep with a humidifier on in my room, with some eucalyptus oil in the vapor chamber. Instead of having a mucus plug every morning it happens every 2 to 3 days, and its softer and easier to get out of the back of my throat. The 2nd thing was when I gave up caffeine. The mucus plugs went away completely. But, I fell off the caffeine wagon recently, and the mucus plugs cam back. Eventually I'll give up caffeine again, but not just yet. I was searching for some help when if found your post. If I find something that helps me, I"ll let you know. Good luck and stay well.

I've had this problem for several years. I've been referred to an ENT consultant. They scoped my nasal cavity and declared nothing was wrong, which is really annoying. My problem is mostly overnight when I get a mucus build-up. It feels like I'm going to drown. I've tried doing the coughing etc to bring it up but not always with success, which is so annoying. This wakes me up at night after I've been asleep for 4-5 hours resulting in me feeling tired all the time.
It's interesting to hear that caffeine might be the problem. I might give that a try to see if there's any improvement.
ANY more help and advice would be gratefully received.

Hello, I have a similar problem. There is no congestion in my lungs. My nose is not running, so no postnasal drip. However in the morning (only the morning, something within 10 min., sometimes a couple of hours) I have a 'mucus plug' (about the siae of a US nickle) stuck in the back of my throat. I have to trigger a gag reflex to loosen it out. It feels more like its coming down, because if I don't catch it just right in the back of my throat to spit it out, I end up swallowing it. I don't know what exactly is causing (sorry). There are only 2 things that have given me some relief. At night I sleep with a humidifier on in my room, with some eucalyptus oil in the vapor chamber. Instead of having a mucus plug every morning it happens every 2 to 3 days, and its softer and easier to get out of the back of my throat. The 2nd thing was when I gave up caffeine. The mucus plugs went away completely. But, I fell off the caffeine wagon recently, and the mucus plugs cam back. Eventually I'll give up caffeine again, but not just yet. I was searching for some help when if found your post. If I find something that helps me, I"ll let you know. Good luck and stay well.

Hi - for the past 2 years I've had a problem with mucus at the back of my throat and nose. It comes in waves - and when its really bad its so sticky i struggle to swallow properly (i can eat and drink) but just generally swollowing i can feel an obstruction. It takes a couple of hours to then dislodge itself and i cough up a piece of phlegm the size of a 10pence piece usually dark yellow/brown and the centre is always hard and its really smells awful. Now i've been to see 2 specialists as well as my GP - they thought it was a post nasal drip but none of the medication worked, I've been for an endoscopy but nothing wrong with my tummy or coming up from there in fact the doctor could see the mucus going down. So where the heck is it coming from, its getting stuck somewhere and building up until i cough it out... could it be my lungs? I'm seeing a chest specialist in September. can anyone shed any light on this... please :)

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